• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.7-16
• /
• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of plantar flexion exercise and stepper on the balance ability in normal peoples. Twenty subjects participated in this experiment were carried out the program on 6 weeks plantar flexion exercise and stepper. They were divided into two groups; plantar flexion group(plantar flexion exercise group, n=10) and stepper group(using stepper group, n=10). The effects of plantar flexion exercise and using stepper were evaluated by measurements of normal standing(NSEO, NSEC), and semitandom standing and dynamic type 1 and dynamic type 2, respectively. For each case, the experimental data were obtained about static balance in 3 items: mean X speed, mean Y speed and velocity moment, that of dynamic balance in 2 items: mean X speed, mean Y speed. The results of this study were as follows; 1. In plantar flexion exercise group, the statistically significants were shown on X, Y speed and velocity moment in the case of NSEO, NSEC, semitandom standing, and on X, Y speed in the case of dynamic type 1, dynamic type 2. 2. In using stepper group, the statistically significants were shown on X, Y speed and velocity moment in the case of NSEO, NSEC, semitandom and on only X, Y speed in the case of dynimic type 1, dynaimic type 2. 3. There was a statistically significant similar on all about case. however, the statistically difference were not shown with intergroup. The above results revealed that plantar flexion exercise and using stepper was effective for improving the balance ability.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.121-137
• /
• 2003

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the stair heights on lower extremity joint moment in stair-ascent activity Data were collected by 3-D cinematography, force platform. six normal males were participated in this experiment. All subjects performed a stair-ascent in four different heights of stairs (10, 14, 18, 22cm) having a 5 step staircase. The moment of lower extremity joint was analyzed during stance phase. The results were as follows: First, the second increase of plantar flexion moment of ankle joint in the 'forward continuance' phase was not occurred for stair A and B. But it occurred for stair C and D. And the maximum plantar flexion moment increased as the stair height become higher. Second, it was shown that the maximum inversion moment of the ankle joint was the smallest at stair B and it increased significantly at stair C. Third, maximum extension moment appeared in the 'pull-up' phase. And it increased as the stair height become higher. Fourth, it was shown that the maximum abduction moment of the knee joint was the smallest at stair C and it increased significantly at stair C. Fifth, maximum extension moment of hip joint increased significantly at stair C. Sixth, remarkable value of adduction moment occurred at hip joints and maximum adduction moment increased at stair D.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.105-115
• /
• 2006

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the mechanical characteristics of lower extremity joint movements at different walking speeds in obese people and suggest the very suitable exercise for obese person's own body weight and basic data for clinical application leading to medical treatment of obesity. This experimental subjects are all males between the ages of 20 and 30, who are classified into two groups according to Body Mass Index(BMI): one group is 15 people with normal body weight and the other 15 obese people. Walking speed is analysed at 3 different speeds ($1.5^m/s$, $1.8^m/s$, $2.1^m/s$) which is increased by $0.3^m/s$ from the standard speed of $1.5^m/s$. We calculated joint moments of lower extremity during stance phase through video recording and platform force measurement.Two-way ANOVA(Analysis of Variance, Mix) is applied to get the difference of moments according to walking speeds between normal and obese groups. Pearson's Correlation Analysis is applied to look into correlation between walking speeds and joint moments in both groups. Significance level of each experiment is set as ${\alpha}=.05$. As walking speed increases maximum ankle plantar flexion moment in the stance phase is smaller in obese group than in normal group, which is suggestive of weak toe push-off during terminal stance in obese group, and the highest maximum ankle plantar flexion moment in obese group during the middle speed walking($1.8^m/s.$). Maximum ankle dorsal flexion moment in obese group is relatively higher than in normal group and this is regarded as a kind of compensatory mechanism to decrease the impact on ankle when heel contacts the floor. Maximum knee flexion and extension moments are both higher in normal group with an increase tendency proportional to walking speed and maximum hip flexion and extension moments higher in obese group. In summary, maximum ankle plantar flexion moment between groups(p<.025), maximum knee moment not in flexion but in extension(p<.001) within each group according to increasing walking speed, and maximum hip flexion and extension moment(p<.001 and p<.004, respectively according to increasing walking speed are statistically significant but knee and hip moments between groups are not. Pearson correlation are different: high correlation coefficients in maximum knee flexion and extension moments, in maximum hip extension moment but not hip flexion, and in maximum ankle dorsal flexion moment but not ankle plantar flexion, in each group. We suspect that equilibrium imbalance develops when the subject increases walking speed and the time is around which he takes his foot off the floor.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.45-52
• /
• 2024

Objective: The purpose of this study was to measure the morphological characteristics of the foot and biomechanical variables of the lower extremity joints during vertical jump and investigate the relationship between foot morphology and biomechanics of vertical jump. Method: 24 men in their 20s (age: 22.42 ± 1.41 yrs, height: 173.37 ± 4.61 cm, weight: 72.02 ± 6.21 kg, foot length: 251.70 ± 8.68 mm) participated in the study. Morphological characteristics of the foot included the length of the first toe, the length of the second toe, and the horizontal length from the center of ankle joint to the achilles tendon (Plantar Flexion Moment Arm [PFMA]). Biomechanical variables were measured for plantar flexor strength of the ankle joint and peak angular velocity, moment, and power of the lower extremity joint during vertical jump. Results: There was a significant correlation between the length of the first toe and plantar flexion strength at 30°/s [r=.440, p=.016], the angular velocity of the metatarsophalangeal [MTP] joint [r=-.369, p=.038] while significant correlations between PFMA and the angular velocities of the knee joint [r=.369, p=.038] and ankle joint [r=.420, p=.021] were found. There were also significant correlations between the length of the first toe and the maximum moment of the hip joint [r=.379, p=.034], and the length of the second toe and the power of the hip joint [r=-.391, p=.029]. Finally, significant correlations between PFMA and the power of the ankle joint [r=.424, p=.019] and MTP joint [r=.367, p=.039] were found. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the length of the toe and PFMA would be related to the function of the lower extremity joint. Therefore, this should be considered when designing the functional structure of a shoe. Furthermore, this relationship can be applied to intensive training for the plantar flexors and toe flexors to improve power in athletic performance.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.93-102
• /
• 2005

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of step length on the joint moment. The subjects were 4 undergraduate and graduate students in their 20s with normal legs. The subjects were individually tested by the running timer at the walking speed of 0.67m/s, 134m/s, and 2.46m/s. The step length was regulated to -10% of normal, normal and +10% of normal step length using foot print. The walking performances of each subjects were filmed using a high speed video camera. The raw data were analyzed by LabVIEW Graphical Program and these data were analyzed by ANOVAs and Scheffe. The results of this study were as follows: The maximum dorsiflexion moment of the ankle joint increased as the step length increased only at the fast walking speed. Although there wasn't significant difference shown in the plantar flexion moment, regular pattern in the plantar flexion moment which increased as the step length increased was found. The first maximum extension moment of the knee joint increased only at the normal walking speed, but there appeared no significant difference in the maximum flexion and second extension moment. The maximum extension moment of the hip joint increased at the normal and fast walking speed. Although there wasn't significant difference, regular pattern in flexion moment which increased as the step length increased was found.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.153-159
• /
• 2016

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of joint mobilization on foot pressure, ankle moment, and vertical ground reaction force in subjects with ankle instability. Method: Twenty male subjects (age, $25.38{\pm}3.62yr$; height, $170.92{\pm}5.41cm$; weight, $60.74{\pm}9.63kg$; body mass index (BMI), $19.20{\pm}1.67kg/m^2$) participated and underwent ankle joint mobilization. Weight-bearing distribution, ankle dorsi/plantar flexion moment, and vertical ground reaction force were measured using a GPS 400 and a VICON Motion System (Oxford, UK), and subsequently analyzed. SPSS 20.0 for Windows was used for data processing and paired t-tests were used to compare pre- and post-mobilization measurements. The significance level was set at ${\alpha}$ = .05. Results: The results indicated changes in weight-bearing, ankle dorsi/plantar flexion moment, and vertical ground reaction force. The findings showed changes in weight-bearing distribution on the left (pre $29.51{\pm}6.31kg$, post $29.57{\pm}5.02kg$) and right foot (pre $32.40{\pm}6.30kg$, post $31.18{\pm}5.47kg$). There were significant differences in dorsi/plantar flexion moment (p < .01), and there were significant increases in vertical ground reaction forces at initial stance (Fz1) and terminal stance (Fz2, p < .05). Additionally, there was a significant reduction in vertical ground reaction force at midstance (Fz2, p < .001). Conclusion: Joint mobilization appears to alter weight-bearing distribution in subjects with ankle instability, with resultant improvements in stability.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.133-144
• /
• 2004

The purpose of this study was to analyze the joint moment on lower extremity during a developpe devant. Data were collected by Kwon3D, KwonGRF program. Two professional modem female dancers were participated in this experiment. Subjects performed a developpe devant in meddle heights. On the axes of X, Y, Z, it was shown that the maximum joint moment was occurred in hip joint. The moments are plotted during developpe devant. The ankle muscles generate a plantar flexion moment and the knee muscles generate a flexion moment and The hip muscles generate a extension moment. So these muscles of joint muscles were known to play a key role in keeping the body balance while doing developpe devant. In addition adduction moment occurred at hip, knee, an ankle in the order of amount, we could assume from this data that him out motion started from the hip joint. There was small active turn out possible below the hip joint. A small amount of extra turn out could be obtained when standing because of flexion between the foot and floor, which could be used to give a passive external rotation force to the whole leg and this could produce a rotation between the knee and foot. This passive external rotation could produce very damaging results. Therefore, lower extremity joint muscles such as hip, knee, and ankle muscle should be trained to keep the body balance and prevent injury during developpe devant performance. And for the safe and perfect turn ort performance, hip joint abduction, the most important external rotating muscle for him out is needed to train and full stretching should be done in advance.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2008

This study analyzed the rear foot angle of the supporting leg and the anatomical rotation angle of the kicking angle in soccer instep kick and drew conclusions as follows. When the supporting leg was landing on the ground, the valgus angle of the ankle joint reached the maximum peak, and plantar flexion was slightly different in the timing of the maximum peak between the two groups. The flexion angle of the rear foot was statistically significantly different between the two groups, and the movement of the crus on the landing of the supporting foot did not show a statistically significant difference between the groups. The crus leaned backward most before the impact, and the side to side gradient of the crus on impact was $22^{\circ}$. The flexion/extension of the hip joint of the kicking leg reached the maximum peak when the supporting foot was landing on the ground, and at the moment, the maximum extension angle of the hip joint was over $30^{\circ}$. The flexion angle of the knee joint of the kicking leg was largest after landing. While the maximum plantar flexion angle and maximum valgus angle of the ankle joint were not significantly different between the two groups, the maximum external rotation angle was significantly different.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.105-111
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect that difference in forefoot of shoe flexibility during the quick lunge from a jump smashing on the lower limbs and the plantar pressure distribution. For this 10 elite badminton players with over 10 years experience and right handed participated. Two kinds of badminton shoes were selected and tested mechanical testing for the forefoot flexibility. Motion analysis, ground reaction forces and plantar pressure distribution were recorded. It was required to conduct lunge movement after jumping smashing as possible as high. Photo sensor was located in 3 meter away from standing position and its height was 40 cm. Subjects were conducted to return original position after touching the sensor as under clear movement as possible as fast. Forefoot stiffness had an effect on shoe peak bending degree and peak bending angular velocity in propulsion phase. Forefoot flexibility had an effect on ankle plantar flexion and knee flexion moment. It appears that joint power on lower limb and peak plantar pressure were not influenced by the flexibility of shoes.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.85-93
• /
• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate a relationship among Taekwondo, soccer and gymnastic athletes their balance ability and lower extremity muscle strength, muscle endurance and also whether these variables show differences by sports type. For this purpose, 10 Taekwondo athletes, 10 soccer athletes and 10 gymnastic athletes that is a high school in I area were selected and their balance ability, isokinetic muscle strength and muscle endurance were measured by using force platform (AMTI) and isokinetic measurement (HUMAC NORM). Then the following results were obtained by conducting pearson product-moment correlation analysis and one-way ANOVA. In case of both right and left foot one-leg standing with open-eyes, there was a relation between both knee extension maximal muscle strength of Taekwondo, soccer, gymnastic athletes and balance ability, and in case of right foot one-leg standing with open-eyes, there was a relation between that is right plantar flexion and dorsi flexion maximum muscle strength and muscle endurance of Taekwondo, soccer, gymnastic athletes and their balance ability. Furthermore, in case of left dorsi flexion maximum muscle strength, there were significant differences in order of Taekwondo, gymnastics and soccer, and for isokinetic plantar flexion maximum muscle endurance, both right and left showed significant differences in order of Taekwondo, gymnastic and soccer.